U.S. patent number 3,683,973 [Application Number 05/080,347] was granted by the patent office on 1972-08-15 for rotor system and method for manipulating liquid matter.
Invention is credited to Donald W. Hatcher, Sr..
United States Patent |
3,683,973 |
Hatcher, Sr. |
August 15, 1972 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
ROTOR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANIPULATING LIQUID MATTER
Abstract
A rotor system including a rotor having a plurality of cavities
disposed radially and in concentric array about the rotational axis
of the rotor for receiving and retaining respective quantities of
liquid, each cavity having an overflow through which liquid in
excess of the volumetric capacity of the cavity is expelled upon
rotation of the rotor, and displacement means of known displacement
volume movable into each cavity upon rotation of the rotor whereby
a known quantity of liquid is displaced from each cavity and
expelled from the rotor into appropriate receptacles. The method
disclosed includes the step of admitting gross quantities of liquid
to the rotor cavities initially and expelling the liquid in excess
of the cavity volume by rotating the rotor. Subsequently, in
accordance with the disclosed method, the rotor is rotated with a
displacement body in each cavity to expel a further, but known,
quantity of liquid from each cavity.
Inventors: |
Hatcher, Sr.; Donald W.
(Clinton, TN) |
Family
ID: |
22156813 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/080,347 |
Filed: |
October 13, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/1; 141/115;
141/283; 141/34 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01N
15/042 (20130101); B04B 5/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B04B
5/00 (20060101); B04B 5/04 (20060101); G01N
15/04 (20060101); B65b 001/04 (); B65b
003/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;141/1,34,115-127,283,129 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bell, Jr.; Houston S.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A rotor system comprising
a rotor having a rotational axis,
a plurality of radial cavities in said rotor disposed in generally
concentric array about said rotational axis of said rotor for
receiving and retaining respective quantities of liquid when said
rotor is rotated,
overflow means associated with each of said cavities and adapted to
discharge from said cavity any liquid in excess of the volumetric
capacity of said cavity at the instant rotational speed of said
rotor, and
displacement means disposed in each of said cavities, said
displacement means in each cavity displacing a quantity of liquid
within each of said cavities, said quantity of displaced liquid in
each cavity being essentially equal to the liquid displacement
volume of the displacement means in respective cavities, whereby
said displaced quantities of liquid are expelled from respective
cavities through their respective overflows upon rotation of said
rotor with said displacement means in said cavities.
2. The rotor system of claim 1 and including dispensing means
disposed in superposition to said rotor and including a plurality
of displacement bodies for simultaneous admission to said cavities
in said rotor.
3. The rotor system of claim 1 wherein said displacement means
comprises a solid body of generally spherical geometry.
4. The rotor system of claim 1 wherein said solid body comprises a
glass bead.
5. A dispenser device for simultaneously dispensing a plurality of
displacement bodies into separate compartments of a rotor
comprising
mounting means releasably mounting said dispenser device in
rotational engagement with said rotor in the approximate center of
said rotor and above said compartments,
a plurality of channel means in said device, respective ones of
said channels being in alignment with and disposed above respective
ones of said compartments when said dispenser device is mounted on
said rotor, each of said channels being open at its lower end,
at least one generally spherical displacement body disposed in each
of said channel means,
detention means retaining said displacement bodies within said
channels and adapted to selectively and simultaneously release one
body from each channel whereby said bodies are free to fall into
said compartments.
6. The dispenser device of claim 5 wherein said detention means
comprises an annular member having an inner wall disposed adjacent
to said lower openings of said channels and spaced apart therefrom
by a distance greater than the diameter of a displacement body but
less than twice the diameter of a displacement body, a cavity in
said inner wall of said annular member adjacent each of said lower
openings of said channels, said cavity being of a depth such that a
displacement body residing in said cavity projects into its
respective channel a distance sufficient to preclude the passing of
another displacement body therepast, said cavity including an
upwardly inclined wall portion defining its lower dimension whereby
when said dispenser is rotated the centrifugal forces accompanying
such rotation forces a displacement body from each channel into
said cavity to preclude the release of displacement bodies from
said channels but when said dispenser is not rotating said bodies
are released for movement out of said channels, retainer means
disposed beneath said channels and spaced therefrom by a distance
sufficient to permit the passage of not more than one displacement
body therebetween, ridge means disposed on the upper side of said
retainer means and defining a barrier against radial movement of
displacement bodies except when said dispenser means is rotated at
a rotational speed sufficient to cause said bodies to overcome said
barrier.
7. A method for manipulating liquid matter employing a rotor system
comprising the steps of:
admitting a quantity of said liquid matter to each of a plurality
of holding chambers in said rotor, each of said chambers having at
least one radially outward cavity portion adapted to receive and
retain a quantity of said liquid when said centrifuge is rotated at
a speed sufficient to displace said liquid radially outwardly, each
of said cavities having an overflow including a weir,
rotating said rotor with said liquid in said chambers whereby any
liquid in excess of the capacity of said cavity portions of said
chambers at the instant rotational speed of said rotor overflows
said weir and is expelled from each cavity through its
overflow,
admitting to each of said chambers a body having a known
displacement volume whereby upon subsequent rotation of said rotor
there is displaced in each cavity a quantity of liquid
substantially equal to the displacement volume of said body and
said displaced liquid in each cavity overflows the respective weir
of each cavity and is expelled from said rotor, and
collecting said overflowing displaced liquid in collecting means
disposed in juxtaposition to said overflows.
8. A method for manipulating a liquid employing a rotor system
including a plurality of liquid receptacles the improvement
comprising the steps of:
providing a multi-chamber rotor having a plurality of radially
disposed cavities, each of said cavities having an overflow through
which any quantity of liquid in said cavity that is in excess of
the volumetric capacity of said cavity is discharged upon rotation
of said rotor,
introducing a gross quantity of liquid to each of said rotor
chambers,
rotating said rotor to force said liquid into said cavities and
cause the discharge from the cavities of any liquid which is in
excess of their respective volumetric capacities,
admitting a displacement body of known liquid displacement volume
to each of said cavities,
introducing said rotor into means for rotating said rotor with each
of said cavity overflow means being disposed in juxtaposition to a
corresponding liquid receptacle, corresponding liquid
rotating said rotor whereby said displacement bodies displace
liquid in each cavity, said displaced liquid in each cavity being
discharged from said cavity through its respective overflow means
and collected in said respective receptacles.
Description
This invention relates to rotor systems and particularly to methods
and apparatus for manipulating liquids employing a rotor
system.
There exist several commercially available centrifuge systems which
are primarily useful for rapidly and accurately carrying out
various analytical procedures, including medical diagnostic
procedures. Generally, as carried out in a centrifugation system,
these procedures involve the introduction of two or more measured
quantities of liquid (a specimen plus one or more reagents) into
receptacles, termed "cuvettes", where a chemical reaction takes
place. In the usual centrifugation system, a plurality of cuvettes,
16 for example, are positioned around the periphery of a central
rotor having a corresponding number of cavities. A first quantity
of a sample, human blood for example, is measured into each of a
first set of separate cavities of the rotor. A second set of
cavities in the rotor are provided with a reagent, for example. The
blood and reagent are spun from the two sets of cavities (16
cavities per set) in the rotor into the 16 corresponding cuvettes
simultaneously. Identical reactions occur in the 16 revolving
cuvettes. The progress of the reactions in the several cuvettes may
be observed by known means, such as by monitoring the transmission
of a light beam passing through the cuvettes (which are transparent
themselves) as they are rotated through the beam.
Heretofore it has been common practice to introduce a measured
quantity of sample or reagent into each of the individual cavities
in the rotor by pipetting or like technique. In addition to the
known inaccuracy of pipetting operations, their time consuming
nature has limited the usefulness of centrifugation in diagnostic
procedures and other analyses by so increasing the time required to
complete a full procedure that the advantages of centrifugation are
lost or overshadowed by the time element.
It is an object of the invention disclosed herein to provide an
improved rotor system. It is also an object to provide a method and
apparatus for manipulating a liquid employing a rotor system. It is
also an object to provide an inexpensive rotor system whose
components are designed to be of the single-use type.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be recognized
from the following description, including the drawings. In the
drawings:
FIG. 1 is a representation of apparatus for observing the status of
liquids in a centrifuge and depicting various features of the
present invention;
FIGS. 2, 2A and 2B are a representation of a rotor constructed in
accordance with the present invention and including various
construction details of the rotor and a collector ring within which
the rotor is fitted;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the rotor of FIG. 2 taken along
the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a rotor system depicting various features
of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a rotor system including means
for dispensing displacement bodies into several cavities of the
rotor;
FIG. 6 is a representation of a rotor system including a plurality
of rotors and also including means for dispensing displacement
bodies into the several cavities of one of the rotors by means of
centrifugal forces; and
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the displacement body
dispensing means shown in FIG. 6 and taken along the line 7--7 of
FIG. 6.
In accordance with the method disclosed herein, a preselected
quantity of liquid matter, sample or reagent for example, is
admitted to one or more central holding chambers in a centrifuge
rotor. Each chamber is provided with a radially outward cavity
portion which is in fluid communication with the respective central
chambers. Each cavity is provided with an overflow including a weir
and is adapted to receive and retain a quantity of liquid matter
when the rotor is rotated at a speed such as displaces the liquid
radially outward. After loading of the liquid into the holding
chambers, the rotor is rotated whereupon the liquid moves outwardly
from the chambers proper into the several cavities. Further, any
liquid in excess of the capacity of the respective radially outward
cavities at the instant rotational speed of the rotor is caused to
overflow the respective weirs and be expelled through the
overflows. Thereupon the rotor is brought to its rest position and
appropriate cuvettes are positioned adjacent the respective
overflows of the cavities. To each of the radially outward cavities
there is introduced a body having a displacement volume
substantially equal to the volume of the preselected quantity of
liquid which it is desired to dispense into each of the cuvettes.
Upon subsequent rotation of the rotor whose respective cavities are
each loaded with liquid and a displacement body, and with the
cuvettes in position at the respective overflows of the cavities,
the displaced quantities of liquid overflow the respective weirs,
are expelled through the overflows and collected in the respective
cuvettes. Several diverse liquids may be dispensed into the
cuvettes successively or simultaneously as will appear more fully
hereinafter.
Apparatus for carrying out the disclosed method is described herein
and preferably includes a demountable rotor for purposes which will
appear hereinafter. Apparatus for introduction of the several
displacement bodies into the respective cavities of the rotor also
will be described.
To facilitate an understanding of the method of the disclosed
invention, apparatus for carrying out the method will be discussed.
The basic centrifugation system employed in the disclosed method is
depicted diagrammatically in FIG. 1 and need only be referred to in
general terms since suitable systems are available from commercial
sources and well-known in the art. Generally this system comprises
a centrifuge 5 including a housing 6, normally circular in
geometry, rotatably mounted by suitable means (not shown) and
providing support for a central rotor 7 and a plurality of cuvettes
8 disposed in the peripheral region of the housing. Both the rotor
and cuvettes usually are rotatable with the housing. The cuvettes
usually comprise openings cut in the inner wall of a transparent
ring 9, this ring being mounted in the housing and held in place by
an annular clamp 10. A light beam 11 from a lamp 12 may be directed
through the cuvettes as they spin through the beam. The
transmission of the beam through a cuvette (when a sample is in the
cuvette) may be monitored and/or recorded as a measure of the state
or quality of the matter contained in the cuvette.
Referring to FIG. 2, the present invention includes a rotor 7,
preferably of circular configuration. The periphery of the rotor
may be provided with toothed portions 14 adapted to engage
respective slot portions 15 of an annular collector ring 9 thereby
providing a connection between the rotor and ring 9. This ring 9
preferably is rotatably held within a housing 6 (see FIG. 1)
thereby providing rotatable mounting of the rotor within the
centrifugation system.
The rotor 7 preferably is divided centrally into a plurality of
chambers 13 of generally equal volumes. Each of these chambers 13
preferably diverges radially outward to contact a curved, but
generally vertical, wall 16 thus defining a cavity 17 at the most
radially outward portion of each chamber 13. The several chambers
13 are separated by partitions 18 which define the lateral
extremities of the chamber 13 and the cavities 17. Each cavity 17
is provided with an overflow 20 whose radially inward opening
defines a weir 21 over which liquid matter will flow upon rotation
of the rotor as will be discussed hereinafter. Preferably each
chamber is partly covered in the region of its respective cavity
portion by a top wall portion 19 which slopes downwardly toward
cavity 17 so that upon rotation of the rotor any liquid droplets or
the like present on the top wall portion will be forced into the
cavity 17 or caused to exit the chamber through overflow 20 under
the influence of the centrifugal forces developed by the rotating
rotor. It is noted that in a preferred embodiment, the radially
outward termination of each overflow 20 is disposed on one of the
toothed projections 14 on the periphery of the rotor. As shown in
FIG. 2, when the toothed projection 14 of the rotor is disposed
within its corresponding indention 15 in the collector ring 9, the
terminus of the overflow 20 is disposed centrally of a cuvette 8 in
the collector ring and there is no opportunity for misalignment
between an overflow and its corresponding cuvette.
Preferably the rotor 7 may be provided with a central hollow post
22 for receiving a displacement body dispersing unit as will appear
more fully hereinafter. Alternatively, the several partitions 18
defining the chambers 13 may converge to a central axis without
including a central post.
FIG. 3 depicts the rotor 7 in cross section, the view of FIG. 3
being taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2. In this cross-sectional
view, it may be seen that upon rotation of the rotor 7 about its
central axis any liquid contained in a chamber 13 will be subjected
to the influence of centrifugal forces developed by the rotating
rotor. The liquid will be caused to flow radially outward and
collect in the cavity 17. Depending upon the rotational speed of
the rotor and the physical characteristics of the liquid in the
chamber, liquid in excess of the volumetric capacity of the cavity
will overflow weir 21 and be expelled from the chamber through
overflow 20. During such rotation of the rotor, any liquid
splattered on the top wall 19 in the form of droplets or the like
will be forced radially outward and either expelled through the
overflow 21 or moved into the cavity. Consequently, under the
centrifugal forces developed at a given rotational speed of the
rotor, the several cavities of the rotor can be caused to contain
identical quantities of liquid, assuming each chamber 13 was
provided initially with a quantity of liquid at least equal to or
in excess of the volumetric capacity of each cavity and the several
cavities are of identical volumetric capacity. It is not required,
however, that the several cavities be of identical volumetric
capacity for as will be discussed, it is the displaced liquid which
is of a measured volume. In any event, because of its respective
geometric configuration, each of the cavities will retain a
selected volume of liquid regardless of the rotational speed of the
rotor so long as such rotational speed is at least equal to or in
excess of the rotational speed which will cause the liquid in the
respective chambers to be displaced into the cavities and held
against the curved wall 16 of each cavity. Preferably the rotor is
rotated sufficiently fast to cause the radially inward surface of
the liquid in each of the cavities to define a substantially
vertical wall such as shown by the dotted line 23 of FIG. 2A.
FIG. 4, a generally plan view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1,
depicts the rotor 7 disposed within its encompassing collector ring
9 which in turn is secured to the centrifuge housing by means of a
clamp ring 10 bolted to the housing by bolts 55. In this view, it
may be seen that liquid introduced to the central chambers 13 will
be caused to flow radially outward into the cavities 17 upon
rotation of the rotor as the centrifuge housing is rotated. Any
fluid in excess of the volumetric capacity of each of the
respective cavities will overflow the cavity and pass through the
overflow 20 into the cuvette 8 disposed radially outwardly from the
overflow 20. That liquid flowing through the overflow into the
cuvette is collected in the most radially outward tip of the
cuvette which, by design, is disposed in register with appropriate
openings 24 in the centrifuge housing so that a light beam may be
passed through the cuvettes for monitoring purposes.
In conducting one kind of analysis employing the present invention,
a rotor is initially loaded with a quantity of specimen, for
example human blood, at a station remote from the centrifugation
system depicted in FIGURES. At such station (which is not depicted
in the FIGURES), a quantity of blood is admitted to each of the
individual chambers 13. This quantity of blood need not be measured
exactly and the primary requirement is that the quantity admitted
to each chamber be in excess of the volumetric capacity of the
respective cavity of each chamber. It thus becomes evident that the
absence of a requirement of accuracy in measuring the quantity of
blood admitted to each chamber reduces the time required for an
operator to introduce the blood specimen to each chamber. After
each chamber has been provided with its respective quantity of
blood (it is not necessary that each chamber have the same
quantity, rather it is anticipated that no two chambers will have
the same quantity of blood unless by coincidence the operator
happens to pour identical amounts into several chambers), the
rotor, while still at the remote station, is rotated to displace
the blood radially outward into the several cavities and eject from
the rotor all quantities of blood in excess of the respective
volumetric capacities of the cavities at the chosen rotational
speed of the rotor.
Having been rotated to eject excess specimen from the respective
cavities, the rotor is brought to rest. The blood within the
respective cavities, of course, recedes from the cavity and
disperses itself within the respective chambers. However, it will
be recognized that none of the blood can escape from the chambers
and upon rotation of the rotor at a subsequent time, the blood will
merely recollect within the respective cavities.
After the rotor has been brought to rest, a displacement body is
admitted to each of the chambers 13. This displacement body may
take the form of a solid sphere or other appropriate body which is
capable of displacing a quantity of liquid when immersed in the
liquid and which is inert in the presence of the liquid to be
displaced. The displacement volume of the body must be known or
capable of being calculated and in the preferred operation, all of
the displacement bodies have identical displacement volumes. One
desirable displacement body is a spherical glass bead, these beads
being preferred because of their inertness, and the ease with which
their displacement volume can be determined. Also, such beads are
readily obtainable at a reasonable cost.
The displacement bodies, hereinafter referred to as "beads" for
convenience, may be admitted to the rotor chambers while the rotor
is at rest as noted above or the centrifugal forces accompanying
rotor rotation may be used to assist in introducing the beads into
the chambers. One embodiment of apparatus for dispensing the beads
is depicted in FIG. 5. This apparatus includes a central post 25
having its lower end 26 centrally bored to receive a lug 27
upstanding centrally from the bottom 28 of the rotor 7. The top
portion of the post 25, indicated generally by the numeral 29, is
provided with a plurality of channels 30 serving as storage
channels for a plurality of beads 31 residing therein. The bottom
of each respective channel 30 is open for permitting the dispensing
of beads from each channel. The top portion 29 of the post 25 is
covered by a cap 32 slidably disposed over the post. The open end
of the cap depends downwardly over the top portion 29 of the post
to cover the several openings of the channels 30. The inner wall of
the cap is cavitated at each point where the cap covers a channel
opening. The cavity 34 provided in the inner wall of the cap at
each such channel opening is partially closed by a wedge 35
slidably mounted in an opening 37 in post 25 and spring-biased
outwardly to cooperate with cavity 34 to maintain a single sphere
within the cavity at any one time as indicated in FIG. 5. Cap 32 is
biased in the upward direction by a spring 38 so as to maintain the
lower rim of the cap 32 urged in a closed position adjacent the
wedge 35 thereby preventing dispensing of beads from the several
channels 30. However, when the cap 32 is pressed downwardly against
the force of spring 38, the wall of cavity 34 urges the bead which
is captured in the cavity against the wedge surface of the wedge 35
forcing it to slide inwardly and permit the bead to pass by the
wedge. As the bead passes by the wedge 35, the spring 36 forces the
wedge radially outward toward the cap 32 thereby preventing release
of more than one bead per each downward movement of the cap 32. The
bead within the cavity 34 which by-passes the wedge 35, enters a
further cavity 39 provided in the post 25. This further cavity 39
is of a sufficiently large volume so that as the bead passes from
cavity 34 into cavity 39, the bead is allowed to escape from
between the cap and the post and enter the rotor chamber directly
beneath the opening.
A further apparatus for dispensing beads into the several chambers
of the rotor is depicted in FIG. 6. This further apparatus
comprises a central post 40 having a lowermost portion 41 received
in the hollow central post 22 of the rotor 7. This post 40 has an
annular flange 42 which rests against the top of rotor 7 thereby
supporting the post 40 above the rotor 7. Preferably the engagement
between the rotor and post is such as will lock the post in
rotational engagement with the rotor. A cross-sectional view of
this dispensing device is depicted in FIG. 7, the view of FIG. 7
being taken along the line 7--7 of FIG. 6. The uppermost portion 43
of the post 40 is joined by a plurality of partitions 44 to an
encapsulating annular sleeve 45 so as to define a plurality of
bead-receiving channels 46. The annular sleeve preferably extends
vertically higher than the top portion of the post 40 to define a
storage chamber 47 for a plurality of beads. The top portion 43 of
the post 40 is preferably tapered and extends upwardly into the
storage cavity 47 so that the beads are readily directed into the
several channels 46 for dispensing into the chambers of the rotor.
As desired a cap 48 may be provided for closing the top of the
storage chamber 47.
The inner wall of the sleeve 45, at its lower rim, is provided with
a cavity 49 adjacent the lower portion of each of the channels 46.
This cavity 49 may be in the form of an annular groove extending
around the inner wall of the sleeve 45, but in any event, the lower
wall of the cavity slopes upwardly for purposes which will appear
in further discussion. The lower end of the sleeve 45 terminates
above the shoulder 42 by a distance sufficient to permit the
passage therebetween of a single bead. The annular shoulder 42 is
provided with an annular ridge 50 on the upper surface of the
shoulder 42. This ridge upstands to provide an obstruction against
the passage of the bead radially outward from the post 40. No
obstruction is provided at the lower end of each of the channels 46
so that at all times when the rotor is at rest there will be a
single bead from each channel resting on the upper surface of the
shoulder 42 and radially inward from the annular ridge 50. The
several beads on the shoulder may be separated laterally by
partitions on the shoulder (not shown) or by extensions of the
partitions 44. Upon commencement of rotation of the rotor 7, the
centrifugal forces against the beads will cause those beads
residing on the annular shoulder 42 to be forced over the ridge 50
to fall into the respective chambers immediately beneath each of
the channels. At the same time the centrifugal forces acting upon
that bead which is next in line for dispensing, will force such
bead radially outward and into contact with the upwardly sloping
wall of the cavity 49 thereby preventing the bead from falling out
of its channel and at the same time blocking the passage of
successive beads into position on the shoulder 42 for dispensing.
Once the rotor has again been brought to rest, the centrifugal
forces are relieved and this next bead falls into position for
dispensing when the rotor is again rotated.
As stated hereinbefore, when the rotor is rotated, the beads and
the liquid within the respective chambers are displaced into the
respective cavities and that volume of liquid displaced by the bead
in each cavity is caused to overflow the cavity and be expelled
from the rotor into the corresponding cuvette disposed in
juxtaposition to the overflow. By this means there is dispensed
from each cavity a known quantity of liquid into each of the
cuvettes.
The foregoing described apparatus and procedure for introducing a
selected quantity of specimen into each of the cuvettes may be
repeated as many times as desired for purposes of successively
introducing reagents or additional material to the respective
cuvettes to obtain the desired reaction. The present invention
provides much freedom in the selection of the number of reagents
and/or the time at which a reagent may be introduced to the
cuvette. For example, after a reaction has been commenced with a
first reagent, a further reagent may be added as may be desired in
a particular analysis.
A further feature of the present invention includes the concept of
simultaneously introducing a plurality of liquids to a cuvette.
This concept is generally depicted in the apparatus of FIG. 6 which
includes a plurality of rotors of the kind described hereinbefore
stacked one on top of the other within the centrifugation system
housing. In accordance with this feature of the invention, the
first rotor 51 may be loaded with a specimen, human blood for
example, at a remote station as described hereinbefore and an
appropriate bead placed within each of the chambers of the rotor.
This "loaded" rotor is first placed in the centrifuge housing. A
second rotor 7 is likewise loaded at a remote station. This second
rotor may contain the reagent which it is desired be reacted with
the specimen. As desired, the second rotor may be provided with a
bead within each of its chambers at the remote station and before
the rotor is introduced into the centrifugation system or,
alternatively, the beads may be added to the chambers of this
second rotor 7 by any of the means herebefore described. With these
two rotors in position in the centrifugation system, the apparatus
is rotated. Thereupon, the liquid within each of the several
cavities is displaced by the beads within the cavities and is
caused to overflow the cavities, be expelled from the rotor, and
received in the corresponding cuvettes. It is noted that the
liquids from the two rotors are discharged simultaneously into the
respective cuvettes where they become mixed and react. The
capability provided by the present invention to simultaneously
introduce measured quantities of two or more liquids into the
cuvette enhances the usefulness of the centrifugation system
concept in that it is possible by means of the present invention to
observe the progress of reactions which require the simultaneous
combination of two or more liquids if the reaction is to occur.
The present method and apparatus make possible the preparation of
specimens and reagents at stations remote from the centrifugation
apparatus. This capability not only frees the centrifugation
apparatus for use in conducting analyses as distinguished from its
being tied up during pipetting procedures or the like but it also
makes possible the preparation of specimens and reagents with a
savings of time. The remote station referred to herein may comprise
a centrifuge of uncomplicated construction such as a rotated holder
for the rotor with an overflow catch basin as will be apparent to
one skilled in the art. The cavities provided in the rotor
disclosed herein permit rapid and accurate loading of the rotor
chambers without tedious attention to the introduction of
accurately measured quantities of liquid to each chamber. The
present invention allows the operator or technician to pour
relatively gross quantities of liquid into each chamber and then
merely spin the rotor to expel any liquid in excess of the
volumetric capacity of the cavity associated with each chamber.
Rotors as disclosed herein may be manufactured readily and
inexpensively by known means and using inexpensive materials such
as by injection molding of plastic. Thus rotors having
differently-sized cavities may be economically provided as desired
for various analyses and in most instances will be disposable
items.
In addition, it is possible with the present apparatus and method
to prepare a rotor loaded with reagent and a displacing bead within
each of its chambers and store this rotor under appropriate
conditions, for example by freezing, until the reagent is needed
for use in conducting an analysis. The same capability is provided
concerning the preparation of specimens. For example, blood
specimens may be taken from a patient and immediately loaded into
the rotor along with a bead in each of the chambers of the rotor
and then frozen for subsequent analysis.
While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will
be understood that there is no intent to limit the disclosure, but
rather, it is intended to cover all modifications and alternate
constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention
as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *